


Once Upon a Dream

by fancyfanstuff



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Canon Related, Dreams, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Neverland, Not-so Platonic Soulmates, Platonic Soulmates, Season 3, Shared Dreams, Soulmates, swanqueenweek11
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-16
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-13 02:23:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 18,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16008299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fancyfanstuff/pseuds/fancyfanstuff
Summary: Unusual dreams haunt Emma on Neverland, lucid dreams, featuring nobody but a very realistic Regina. Is it Karma? Destiny? And why isn't she bothered more?Henry kidnapped, stuck on an island, fighting Peter Pan - there is more than enough on Emma's mind, and still the dreams keep coming and she's starting to feel strangely connected with Regina...Written for Swan Queen Week 11, Day 3 (Shared Dreams)Set in 3A





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's been ages since swanqueenweek11 ended and I'm far too late, but this turned from a simple one-shot into a much longer story and I just didn't get it done on time. Actually, it isn't even finished yet but as it became longer and longer, I decided to split it into two chapters and upload the first already. The second is sure to come, no worries! 
> 
> I dedicate this work to my friend Alicia, who was both my first reader and editor, without her, this would have been a catastrophe.
> 
> Please consider that both of us aren't natives so I am sincerely sorry for any grammatical errors, I did my best.
> 
> Anyways, remember that the topic was soulmates and this is an entry for Day Three, Shared Dreams.  
> Have fun reading!

It happens during their first night in Neverland.

Emma has a hard time falling asleep, knowing her son is out there, held captive by Pan.  
Peter Pan, who is supposed to be the good guy, who shares his own personal playground, Neverland, with children every night and gives them a wonderful time. But that's just in the Disney film, in real life, he abducts the children.  
Henry isn't the only one, Emma can feel it. She feels the other children, their loneliness and despair, their lostness. She hears it like a constant crying in her mind, and it breaks her heart when she listens to it too closely.

The day has been a long one, she is drained, mentally from stopping the trigger with her magic, physically from fighting the storm on the Jolly Roger and striking their way through the jungle. She should have fallen asleep the moment her head hit the makeshift pillow of leaves. Instead she's shifting from side to side, unable to find peace under the disturbing sounds of the jungle surrounding her.

Emma opens her eyes and lets them wander over the small group gathered around their camp fire in a loose circle. Her parents, all snuggled up and peacefully asleep. Hook, on the first watch, poking a stick in the flames, his posture unusually vigilant and tense. Regina's figure a bit further away, back turned to them. She lies perfectly still, no sign tells how she, too, is wide awake, but Emma knows.

She knows from the way her arm curls tightly around her own body, like hugging herself because there's nobody else to hug her. She knows from the unnatural position of her legs, ready to jump up and run if they only knew the way to where Henry is kept.

She knows because she feels the same. The worry about Henry. The loneliness without him. The will to save him. The helplessness to not know how. The readiness to fight. Above all, the anger. The anger at themselves for having lost him in the first place and the anger at Greg and Tamara for bringing him to this godforsaken island and the anger at the rest of their group for not combing through every inch of Neverland to find him and if it takes days, they will find him.

The rational part of Emma's brain tells her that they have to rest, have to sleep in order to be able to fight Pan. The others are right, setting up camp for the night is the reasonable decision. The problem is just that Emma doesn't want to be reasonable and so the burning angry part of her takes over, drowns the voice of reason and makes Emma's hands shake with suppressed fury. When she looks closely, she can see Regina tremble as well, the same thoughts are probably running through her mind right now and Emma has never felt closer to the other woman before.

She closes her eyes again and tries to concentrate on her breathing, knowing that she needs to sleep eventually. Being well-rested is crucial when they want to succeed in their fight against Pan.  
Breathe in. Because they will succeed.  
Breathe out. She refuses to accept something other than their success.  
In. When she listens closely, she can hear the sea rushing in the distance.  
Out. The wind rustling in the leaves is also a nice sound.  
In. At least she isn't alone. Her parents are with her.  
Out. And Hook.  
In. And Regina.  
When Emma breathes out again, she finally feels her mind slip into sleep.

*

Emma reopens her eyes to a hot cocoa with cinnamon in front of her. She's sitting in Granny's diner back in Storybrooke with soft music coming from the jukebox in the back room. She is all alone.

Her mind hasn't even started to ask all the questions, about why she's here, where's everyone, how's Henry, when the door opens and Regina steps in. She is still clad in her Neverland outfit, the burgundy blouse largely unbuttoned to give view at a lacey negligée and a good bit of cleavage, and when she looks down Emma notices that she, too, wears the same top she has worn before.

"Emma!" Regina calls out and she sounds pretty relieved although she tries to hide it, "What happened?"

Emma feels her face fall, she had hoped that Regina could provide an answer to that, but apparently she is just as oblivious as Emma herself.

"I have no idea," Emma answers truthfully and looks around, desperate to find any clue to what brought them there, "The last thing I remember is trying to fall asleep in Neverland. Where is everyone?"

"If only I knew," Regina says, her expression flickering between focus and worry, "I have no idea how we came here, considering that it took a portal to leave. And the absence of all the idiots that usually crowd this place is pleasant, yet concerning."

Emma rolls her eyes, "Granny's isn't that bad."

"Oh believe me, it is. You have only lived here some months, but twenty-eight years of bad service, questionable quality and the same dwarves every day would make you abhor this place as well," Regina states dryly.  
Emma snorts but Regina continues already: "It is a mystery to me how it still holds such a high popularity among the town population, but it does, which is why I came here when I awoke alone on the street."

"On the street?" Emma asks disbelievingly and tries to imagine Regina, fashionable and immaculate Regina, lying on something as dirty as asphalt.

"I did not lie," Regina says as if she read Emma's thoughts and her eyes narrow for a moment.

She is holding something back, Emma feels it, so she ventures: "What, you woke up standing there?"

Regina shoots her a look and it's full of annoyance but also confusion and then she admits: "Funnily, yes. Standing on the street is the first thing I remember doing when I came to."

Emma wants to laugh, she really does, but she remembers that she, too, woke up sitting on a chair at Granny's with a...

"Wait, where's my cocoa?" Emma exclaims, staring at the spot where she's sure sat a hot cocoa with cinnamon before.

"Miss Swan, I think this is not the right moment to think about hot beverages," Regina says, exasperation clear in her voice but Emma holds up a hand to stop her.

"Regina, the first thing I remember after waking up is sitting here with a hot cocoa in front of me, and now it's gone," she explains quickly and now Regina looks alarmed as well.

"Something is wrong," Emma whispers and Regina nods in agreement.

*

They walk down main street, heading for Regina's vault to try some magic, when it happens.

Regina is listing ingredients she's sure to have in store, when suddenly, her figure begins to flicker and she turns nearly see-through. At first, Emma thinks her eyes deceive her, that she sees things because the craziness of the whole situation stresses her mind out, but then she looks again, and she can actually see the face of the building behind Regina through her body. What's more, Regina herself blinks rapidly and furrows her forehead, and she calls out "Emma?" in a slightly panicked manner.

Emma reaches out to comfort her, but her hands go right through Regina's body, and then Regina's disappears completely and Emma is alone.

'Okay, calm down Swan,' Emma tells herself over and over again as she rummages through the thousands of tiny vials and bottles in Regina's magical storage. She doesn't remember walking the way to the vault, and she isn't sure if that is because she had been so worried about other things that she simply hadn't paid attention, or if there actually had been no way here at all. Maybe she had poofed in a sudden flash of magic, like the one earlier that night.

Either way, she's shoving magical ingredients back and forth now and Regina would kill her if she saw but she can't see it because she isn't there and that's a problem, because Emma has no idea about how to actually create any potion. And even if she knew, what spell is there to cast to either bring back all of the town's population, including Henry, or bring her back to Neverland, to save Henry.  
The situation is desperate and Emma feels the panic rise in her, as much as she tries to contain it.

Her hands are shaking and she accidentally drops a glass vial but it doesn't shatter on the floor because there is no floor anymore and then Emma is falling, falling, falling...

*

She jerks up, her eyes wide open, and sees Hook leaning over her with a concerned expression. Wait, Hook?  
Emma looks around and is startled to see the jungle of Neverland surrounding her and the group once more. She's back.

"Are you alright Swan?" Hook asks and there's genuine concern in his words.

Emma nods absentmindly, still trying to process that she's actually back in Neverland, back with the group, back to save Henry.

"Just a weird dream," she whispers because that's what spooky Storybrooke was, a dream, nothing more. A fullgrown nightmare.

"I was back in Storybrooke but all alone," she says, more to herself than to Hook and she doesn't know why she tells the story at all, but she can't keep it to herself. She withholds the part where Regina appeared though, Hook doesn't need to know how Regina's presence had calmed her beyond measure and how her disappearance had caused the dream to unfold into a real nightmare.

"It's the island," Hook offers as explanation when Emma has finished, "It messes with your head."

"Yeah, I guess," Emma sighs and massages her forehead, "Anyway, there's no way I can sleep now. Can I take over the next watch maybe?"

"It's Regina's turn, talk to her. She looks tired anyways," Hook says, before he walks over to his sleeping place with a "Good night love".

Emma looks up and sure enough, there's Regina, leaning against a tree trunk, her eyes watching the jungle without seeing it, a distant expression in her eyes.

Cautiously, Emma walks over to her, the dream still vivid in her memory. She has dreamed about Regina before, of course she has, but those blurred fantasies that left her sleepless for the rest of the night, panting and throbbing with desire, had been nothing alike the true-to-life experience of her Storybrooke dream. It actually feels like she has talked to Regina only minutes ago, discussing the possibility of a portal versus an amnesia curse, but here they are, safe and sound in Neverland.

"Hey," Emma murmurs as Regina's gaze lifts to take her in, "Uh, I can't sleep, if you want I can take over your shift."

Regina, though clearly tired judging by how small her eyes are, shakes her head to the offer but motions for Emma to sit down against the trunk next to hers.

They sit silent for a while, listening to the sounds of the jungle and the occasional crackle of the fire. Emma feels strangely calm, after the shock of being back in Storybrooke with no way to save Henry, being at least in the same realm as him fills her with a certain relief. Regina, too, seems to be more relaxed now than earlier that night, she's not frowning more than usual and her fingers play with a twig absentmindly rather than nervously.

"So," Emma eventually ventures, "I guess I never got to say Thank You." She's been thinking about this for a while now, Regina crying when she told Emma she wouldn't survive slowing the trigger, her plea to let her die as Regina, the exhilaration flooding Emma's body when they worked their magic together...

"Thank me?" Regina asks, her voice disbelieving under all the hardness, and she looks up to meet Emma's eyes.

"You were willing to die for us back in Storybrooke," Emma simply explains and gives the brunette a small smile, "That was a hero's move."

And Regina lights up a bit at that, her lips move to mirror Emma's smile - but then her face falls.

"It failed to serve its main purpose though. I wanted to save Henry and I wanted to make him proud. Now look how that worked out," she says, her face a grimace of hurt and Emma can't help but reach out a hand to pat her shoulder.

"I'm sure he is proud of you, wherever he is. And we will save him," Emma tries to comfort Regina, soothingly rubbing her thumb over the fabric of her blazer.  
"You used a lot of magic today," she continues when Regina doesn't answer, only lets her head fall back against the tree, "You should rest and restore your powers. We're gonna need them tomorrow."

And Regina mutters something unintelligible but actually stands up and walks over to her makeshift bed. Emma watches her struggle a bit to find a somewhat comfortable position and then lie still, breathing regularly.  
Only when she's sure the brunette is fast asleep, she averts her eyes to survey the jungle instead.

*

The next evening, once again the end of a tough day, the mood at the camp is even tenser. Mary Margaret and David sit by the fire but they're silent and just stare in the flames. Hook sits with his back against a tree and polishes his hook, occasionally taking a sip from his flask of rum. Emma wonders briefly if it is somehow enchanted to never get empty and for a split second she's actually a bit jealous. Drowning yourself in alcohol does seem pretty promising right now. At least she would be able to sleep then. Regina paces back and forth left to Emma, as restless as the saviour who can't stop her hands from knocking a fast rhythm against the trunk she's sitting on.

It's funny how close Emma feels to Regina nowadays. Although Mary Margaret claims she understands, the whole orphan talk has driven a wedge between Emma and her parents and Hook is, well, Hook, so Regina is who she can relate to best in the group.

Sharing the worry about their son, they are both on the edge, which results into quite some bickering but Emma is actually glad about this. It manages to take her mind off the selfdestructive thoughts that have somehow managed to claim her once again. Thoughts about being useless, about being a disappointment, that deep-rooted fear that one day, her parents will see that she isn't what they wanted and abandon her.

And worst of all, she knows Henry must feel this too, the loneliness and despair is radiating from the island's very ground and there's no way it doesn't affect Henry, who is out there, all alone.  
Well, not alone alone, Pan is probably somewhere around, Pan and his Lost Boys, but they don't count as helping company exactly.

"Emma," her train of thoughts is interrupted by the gentle voice that belongs to Mary Margaret, "You should sleep."

Emma looks up to find her mother watching her with a hint of concern in her eyes. She tries to smile but apparently fails because Mary Margaret's expression turns even softer than usually and she leans down to put a comforting hand to Emma's shoulder.

"I know this is hard for you," she whispers and Emma can't help but think that no, actually Mary Margaret doesn't know. She forgot about her child mere minutes after she had left it and Emma knows she is being unfair because there was a curse involved, but still, her mother never had to go through the fear Emma feels pulsing through her veins with every heartbeat. The fear that they won't be able to save Henry. The fear that Pan doesn't keep his word. That they will come too late.

"It is," she whispers back, swallowing down the anger that is once again fighting to take control over her. From the corner of her eye she sees Regina watching them, her hands balled in fists. Mary Margaret however is oblivious to her daughter's feelings or maybe she chooses to be blind so she doesn't have to deal with it.

"Still, you need to sleep," she says in a soothing voice and Emma knows, she knows because she's a goddamn adult and can look after herself. She can be responsible, she just chooses not to be.

It wouldn't be fair to let out her frustration on her mother so Emma just sighs, "I know."  
And then she gets up and walks over to her sleeping place. She feels David's eyes on her but doesn't feel like looking up. Thankfully, he doesn't come over as well.

When she lies down, Emma's glance falls on Regina, who has slowed down her pacing and sits curled up on her bed instead. Her brow is furrowed in a frown and Emma finds herself thinking that while she still has her parents to comfort her (even if it's not always working), Regina has nobody. She is stuck here on this island with a bunch of people she doesn't even like, and suddenly Emma feels bad for being so harsh with the brunette. Sure, she doesn't always approve of Regina's methods, but it can't be denied that Regina is working hard to rescue their son, no matter what it takes and Emma appreciates that.  
She makes a mental note to herself to be kinder to Regina the next day, though she isn't even sure Regina would like that, then closes her eyes drifts off into sleep.

*

Once again, Emma finds herself in Storybrooke when she reopens her eyes. She stands in front of the town hall, the streets deserted just like last time. She doesn't panic quite as much though somewhere in the back of her minds, there's the small horror of what ifs. What if it isn't a dream this time? Or if it is, what if dreaming of Storybrooke means something? Emma has never been superstitious before, but with fairy tale characters as parents and magic being real, she can't really be one to doubt supernatural powers.

Emma shakes her head to get rid of those thoughts and decides to search for other people. Last night she's met Regina so the town can't be as empty as it seems.

She has barely finished the thought when the mayor's front door appears in front of her. Hanging in mid air, it suddenly materializes next to Emma, the golden 108 blinking in a bundle of sunlight.

"At least this proves I'm dreaming," Emma mutters to herself as she debates whether to try and go through the door or stick with the original plan. She has seen Alice in Wonderland enough times to remember it doesn't always end well when people go through doors in their dreams. Then again, if something happens, she'll just wake up.

Determinedly she pushes down the handle and enters... Regina's hallway.  
Emma's nearly a bit disappointed that the magic door only leads to the same room it also does in reality and just when she wonders if it would be too inappropriate to investigate the mansion a bit closer, an angry buzz is heard and the next second Regina stands in front of her.

"Regina!" Emma exclaims, her heart racing. The sudden appearance of the mayor has startled her and she can't help but think that this must be her subconscious warning her from going too far.

"Emma!" Regina sounds equally shocked and Emma can practically see her mind working as she takes in her surroundings.

"What are you doing in my home?" she finally asks, her brow furrowed.

"Uh," Emma makes, searching her mind for an excuse but coming up short. The truth must do: "A magic door brought me here?"

Regina arches an eyebrow so Emma rushes to explain: "I was in front of the town hall, then your front door appeared out of thin air, bringing me here. That's why I'm inside your house, I would never... You know, intrude..."

She trails off awkwardly but Regina just smirks, "Not in my home, no. You save the breaking and entering for my office, I know."

And Emma blushes slightly at the hint about that one time when Sidney and she had broken into the mayor's office to retrieve construction plans for a playground. Oh sweet old days when Regina was the only villain she had to worry about.

"Anyways," Emma says and Regina rolls her eyes, "What are we gonna do now?"  
That is when a brilliant idea strikes her. If this is a dream, then nothing they do will have an impact on tomorrow, on real life. She isn't talking to the real Regina, but an image of Regina that her subconscious has conjured up. That means, whatever she does now, she won't have to face the consequences.

"Wanna make out?" she proposes, half-seriously and half just to see how dream-Regina will react.

Just like real Regina it seems, because: "Emma!" she exclaims, her expression so full of disbelief Emma can barely contain her laughter.

"What?" she continues the game, "We could use a bit of solace!"

Regina only gives her a stern glance and Emma relents.

"Fine!" she waves it off, "Then we can at least go and eat cake at Granny's!"  
She has thought this through actually. Being in a dream, that means she can get all the heavenly taste but won't gain weight.

"Seriously? Granny's again?" Regina huffs and this is too much, Emma bursts into laughter.

"What is it with you and Granny's? How can you possibly have something against her food?" she questions when she's regained her composure.

Regina only sniffs, "I prefer homemade treats."

"Snob," Emma teases, something she'd never dare while talking to the real Regina. This whole dream thing has quite some advantages after all.

"It is clear you have never tasted my pastries," Regina replies, a smug smile playing on her lips.

"Luckily not or I'd be under a sleeping curse," Emma laughs, "Though maybe it would have been worth it. That apple turnover smelt divine."

Regina answers with a gasp, "Emma, you are fading!"

Emma looks down on her hands and Regina is right, her body is quickly turning see through. "Oh, this must be me waking up," she murmurs distractedly to herself, her skin tingling. She feels lighter somehow, like she's floating and when she looks up, Regina's in a blur. Then everything goes black.

*

"Your shift Emma," David murmurs softly when Emma opens her eyes with a groan. He then leaves without a second word, his forehead glinting in the faint glow of the fire. He seems to be a bit off these days but Emma doesn't have the mental capacities to worry about her father in addition to Henry.

Sitting up and shuffling out of her bed to sit by the fire, Emma recalls her dream. She can't shake off the feeling that there is more to it, like isn't it strange that she had lucid dreams of Regina two nights in a row? And what's more, she doesn't dream of anyone but Regina. Empty Storybrooke, how unlikely a location is that for one dream, but two? She has to be missing something.

'It's the island,' she hears Hook's voice in the back of her head and of course, it has to be part of Neverland's magic. Maybe it's programmed to make people dream of their enemies or something. Except Regina doesn't feel like an enemy any longer, but more like an ally, maybe a friend even.

Emma snorts and remembers Regina's sceptical question when they had just come to the island: "You want to be friends?" The disbelief in her voice didn't hurt Emma then, but now she feels kind of sad about the fact that Regina cannot imagine to be friends with her.

Then again, maybe this view has changed as well, after all, they could already laugh about apple turnovers together...

No wait, that was with dream-Regina. Happened only in Emma's imagination. Damn, this is starting to get confusing.

Feeling the first signs of a headache coming up, Emma decides to ban the subject to the back of her head. She has enough to deal with in the real world and can't really afford dwelling on metaphysical problems as well. Determinedly, Emma says her jaw and fixes her eyes on the jungle.

*

The next evening comes quickly and although by finding Tinker Bell they are one step closer to saving Henry, Emma can't help but be frustrated with how little progress they make. Half of the day has gone to following the map to Pan's lair, only to find he moved it. The remainder was spent tracking down Tinker Bell and persuading her to help them. And if Emma understood right, the fairy wouldn't even be that much of a help because she didn't have magic anymore? It is all very frustrating really. Suddenly Regina's offer to combine their magic to defeat Pan doesn't seem so stupid anymore.

Speaking of, the mayor sits against a tree all on her own again, seemingly lost in thought. Emma is just debating whether she should walk over, working on her promise to look after the brunette, when Tinker Bell appears out of nowhere and takes a seat next to Regina. That fairy sure knows how to insinuate herself in the jungle and for a split second Emma feels jealousy rising about the effortless elegance of the Fairy's movements. Then she tells herself to be glad about Tinker Bell having at least one useful skill so that finding her hasn't been a complete waste of time.

Still, something about the intimate way Tinker Bell and Regina are talking is bugging Emma and harsher than expected, she announces to the group that she will go to sleep now. Maybe she could persuade dream-Regina to eat cake tonight.

*

Emma nearly smiles when she opens her eyes to the docks in Storybrooke. A soft breeze tousles her hair and the sun is shining, providing a nice change to the ever-shady Neverland. Emma decides to jog over to Regina's to see if she's home, then continue to Granny's for the cake. Before she can get going however, the wind picks up and suddenly Emma's feet aren't connected to the ground anymore but she's floating, carried through the air, high and higher, towards the grand clock tower in the middle of town.

"Wow," Emma breathes, the feeling of flying both thrilling and horrifying. The houses and streets of Storybrooke are passing under her and for a second, she's afraid of falling. Before she can panic though, the wind is lowering her again, gently setting her down in front of the public library. The journey has barely taken a minute from what Emma guesses (her sense of time is a bit messed up here) and has saved her a great deal of walking. She could get used to this way of transport.

Remembering her plan, Emma quickly sets of towards Mifflin Street, only to find Regina's mansion locked. She rings the bell a few times but when nobody answers the door, she figures Regina isn't home and leaves for Granny's instead.

To her great joy, there are indeed several cakes and pies stacked in the shelves and Emma is happily beginning to warm up a large piece of apple-cinnamon pie when the front door swings open to reveal an angry-looking Regina. Uh-oh.

"Regina," Emma smiles brightly, deliberately moving to hide the multiple cake platters from view, "Pleasure to see you!"

Regina doesn't answer but instead walks up to Emma, grabs her by the arm and - poofs them to her house.

"To the kitchen," she commands and Emma is too surprised to object.

"Apron," Regina snips her fingers and Emma is suddenly dressed in a starched white apron, "Toque," and her hair is held back under some kind of cap, "Equipment," and the table in front of her fills with ingredients like flour, eggs and sugar, as well as several bowls and spoons.

"Now, Emma," Regina smiles devilishly and if it wasn't for the humorous glint in her eyes Emma would have almost been intimidated, "You will learn to bake a proper cake."

Quite some time and several mishaps later, Emma is completely exhausted but proud to put her very first own pie in the oven. Tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, she turns around towards Regina who has sat patiently and instructed her the whole time through.

"So, I'm really hungry now," Emma jokes as she slumps down on a chair opposite of Regina.

The mayor smiles, "That is indeed one of the points I wanted to make. If you prepare your own food, you automatically look more forward to eating it."

Emma laughs and thinks once again how very similar dream-Regina is to the real one. "I suppose waiting for it to be ready is another point?" she then asks and pouts, "This is gonna take forever!"

"Indeed," Regina replies smugly and Emma breaks down with a whine: "Regina!"

Before the brunette can say anything more however, a perfectly baked pie materializes on the table between them. It takes the two women a few seconds during which they both stare at the pie, at the now empty oven, and at the pie again.

Then Emma breaks into a delighted cheer while Regina mutters: "This is cheating."

"Oh, come on," Emma laughs while cutting the pie in generous pieces, "Don't tell me you've never used magic to speed things up before!"

"Only when I was young and inexperienced," Regina says primly but stands up to retrieve two plates from the cupboards nonetheless.

"Right, when was that, a hundred years ago?" Emma teases.

Regina rolls her eyes, "I am thirty-six Emma."

"Without the curse, yes. In reality you're..." Emma does the maths while taking a huge bite of pie, "Sixty-four?" She bursts into laughter then, spluttering crumbs of pie everywhere.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Regina exclaims and for some reason, this only makes Emma laugh more.

"You're old enough to be my grandmother!" she giggles, "In fact, you are my grandmother!"

Regina's face grows stony at that and Emma sobers up very quickly.

"Uh, I'm sorry. It was meant as a joke," she mumbles, cursing herself silently. It was going so well between them, then she had to go and mess it up again.

"It is fine," Regina states, her voice firm, only a flicker in her eyes betraying her emotions, "I have just never seen myself as Snow's mother. She is barely eight years younger than me after all." She tries to laugh but it comes out forced and Emma flinches at the sound, telling her more about what's going on inside of Regina than her words.

"Regina," Emma says, laying all her feelings in that one word: compassion for what the woman must have gone through, marrying a man who was decades her senior; comprehension why Regina turned evil at last, not appreciation but seriously, if Emma had been in that situation she can't be sure she would have acted differently; admiration for finding the strength to carry on despite everything...

Regina looks up and they lock eyes, for one brief moment sharing a mutual understanding and respect.

And then something changes. Emma can't exactly pinpoint what makes her eyes drop to Regina's lips but once they do, there's no turning back. Their plum form, the faint scar, the way they are slightly parted, all that mesmerizes Emma, has always made her wonder how it would feel to the touch, and now she's in a dream, she can finally give in to her instincts without risking the very frail relationship she has with Regina nowadays. The brunette's tongue darts out to wet her lips, telling Emma that at least dream-Regina isn't oblivious to the tension slowly building up in the kitchen. Emma tentatively inches forward, risking a short glance to check Regina's response, but the other woman's eyes are trained on Emma's lips.  
That's all the confirmation Emma needs to lean in and kiss Regina.

*

Emma gasps and sits up. Her heart is racing and it takes her a moment to remember where she is. Storybrooke, Regina's mansion, Regina have felt so real that the dark jungle of Neverland seems surreal in comparison.

She isn't sure whether to laugh or cry. On one hand, the kiss, although only a dream-kiss, has left her giddy and inwardly grinning like an idiot. Which is, well, idiotic, because firstly, Emma Swan didn't do butterflies, and secondly, it wasn't even a real kiss for heaven's sake. Which is what makes up the other half of her mixed feelings. Now that she knows how kissing Regina feels like, or well, how her mind imagines it would feel like, she's positive she can never look at the real Regina again without thinking about how their lips had fitted so perfectly, how Regina had sighed faintly when Emma had caressed her cheek while deepening the kiss, how a tingling sensation like magic had run through Emma's body...

In other words, she's screwed.

Emma groans, shaking her head violently to get rid of the all too pleasant memories replaying in her mind. She lets her eyes sweep over the camp, automatically seeking out Regina who lies a bit off like usually. Surprisingly, the woman is awake, sitting upright with a deep frown etched across her face. Emma bites her lower lips, wants to look away but can't, too fascinating is the similarity to dream-Regina, she really has to give her imagination credit for portraying the mayor so accurately.

Regina looks up and notices Emma's eyes resting on her. Her grim expression deepens for a moment and Emma nearly flinches away, but then the mayor's face changes to its normal, only slightly frowny look and Regina nods at Emma in acknowledgement, then turns to lie down again.

Emma lets herself sink back as well, watching Regina's back. Her thoughts keeping her awake, she's unable to fall back asleep for a very long time.

*

The next day is a mess. They talk to Henry through Regina's enchanted mirror but it's all too short and Henry seems off and David nearly dies and Emma kisses Hook for saving him and his lips are thin and hard and not at all like Regina's and Emma isn't sure how she is supposed to cope with all this so she puts up her walls like she always does when things get too hard to deal with. She feels Mary Margaret's worried eyes watching her and for some reason, this only makes her retreat more.

She occasionally notices Regina looking at her as well and her expression has changed, from annoyed to pondering. Emma is unsure how to react and usually opts for averting her eyes. It's hard enough to stay focused without deep brown orbs reminding her of her dreams.

The more she thinks about the dream kiss (because let's face it, she's distracted all day because of it), the more certain she is that it may never happen again. She has struggled to separate dream-Regina and real-Regina since night one and developing a relationship with the version her imagion creates feels wrong. It leaves Emma in the awkward place where she can't face Regina anymore because of the memories haunting her, false memories, imaginative memories. Emma doesn't want to do that to herself nor Regina.

Also the mayor will positively kill her if she ever finds out.

So the plan is to stay away from both dream-Regina and real-Regina until she can look her in the eyes without feeling the ghost of her touch on her lips. Emma sighs, already missing the escape her dreams had offered, the break from the strain Neverland proves itself to be.

Preparing herself for a lonely night hiding away somewhere in Storybrooke where dream-Regina hopefully won't find her, Emma settles down a bit away from the group. She is desperate for some privacy by now, the constant presence of both her parents, Hook and Regina simply too much for her nerves. The wind rustling through the trees above her turns out to be unexpectedly calming tonight, providing Emma with something to focus on until she slips into sleep.

*

The weather in Storybrooke is cloudy, the stormy-grey sky announcing the imminent rain. Emma takes one look, then hurries off towards her parents' loft, figuring that would be the last place Regina would voluntarily go. She doesn't have the keys with her but that has never stopped Emma, she extracts the small picklock she always carries around from her pockets and quickly works her way through the tumblers. Fortunately, her dreams are accurate enough to transfer real life givens, like Mary Margaret always forgetting to use the latch from inside.

After just a few seconds of fumbling, the door springs open and Emma steps into her home. A strange feeling overcomes her when she walks through the empty room to the kitchen island to make herself a hot cocoa. Something is off and she can't quite put her finger on it but she doesn't feel comfortable. In a sudden flash of paranoia, she runs to the door to shoot the bolt but still feels uneasy.

It's only when she balances the cocoa and some biscuits she's found up the stairway to her room that she can breathe freely again, the familiar coziness of her bed with its dozens of pillows calming her. She settles down comfortably and takes a sip. What is she gonna do now?

She tries to read but the words grow hazy before her eyes and she remembers distinctly that this usually proves to people that they are dreaming. Well, as if she didn't know. She contemplates taking a bath, a luxury that Neverland doesn't offer, but she doesn't want to go downstairs again. She wonders if it is possible to sleep in a dream and decides to try.

It works alright, at least Emma is fairly certain she has slept when she opens her eyes again, though there's nothing to prove it. She is still in Storybrooke, she can't tell how much time has passed, she is exactly where she was before.

Or actually no, she isn't. Looking around Emma notices she isn't in her room anymore. Instead, she is lying under her parents' covers in their bed downstairs. Feeling awkwardly intrusive, Emma scrambles out of it and quickly makes her way upstairs again, a strange relief washing over her when it's just her and her things again. She closes her eyes and attempts to calm her breath again, feeling stupid for reacting so strongly. And still, for some reason the grand living room that also includes kitchen and bedroom gives her the creeps.

Fortunately, Emma doesn't have much time to think further about the meaning of all that, because she's barely sat there on her bed for a few minutes, when the room begins to fade in front of her eyes and she's woken up by a sleepy-looking Mary Margaret, telling her it's Emma's shift now.

*

The day brings further confusion. Regina offers once again to teach Emma magic and Emma, strangely comforted by the brunette's presence although she tells herself she should keep her distance a bit longer, accepts. By now it seems like magic is the only way to defeat Pan and Emma can't let her own messed up feelings keep her from doing the one thing that can help Henry.

So they set to work, Emma training her eyes on the fresh pile of wood that she is supposed to set aflame, Regina walking around her, giving instructions.

"Magic is about feelings," she states and her raspy voice so close to Emma's ear is quite distracting but Emma banishes these thoughts to the back of her mind as she focuses on her interior.

"Feelings are energy," Regina continues, "You need to concentrate on what you are feeling, direct its energy from your heart to your hands, then convert it into heat for the fire."

Emma dives deeper into herself. She feels nervousness, about failing, about disappointing Regina, about disappointing her parents who sit on a trunk nearby, watching their daughter with inscrutable expressions. She also feels longing, the longing for acceptance and understanding and love that has always been there but was intensified on Neverland. Beneath it, she also feels the anger that has been her companion since she had let Greg Mandell and Tamara take Henry.

Of course, there are positive feelings as well. The deep love she has for Henry, a love stronger than she's ever thought herself capable of feeling. The pride that she has done the right thing by saving Regina from the soulsucker, despite everything the woman had done. The relief that although Neal is gone now, she has at least got some closure, an explanation as to why he had betrayed her, why he had left her in the worst place she's ever found herself in.

Emma tries to focus on the good memories, tries to draw strength and energy from the love and happiness she's felt but it's hard. It's hard because right now, she doesn't feel especially loved, or happy. Her memories of the day right after the curse was broken, pictures of Henry, his eyes shining with admiration and pride, pictures of her parents, so overwhelmed with love for her that Emma didn't even know how to handle it, all these moments that Emma hadn't valued enough when they had happened, but that she now finds herself missing, the memories are simply to weak, too far away for her to recall properly.

"Focus. Concentrate," Regina urges her and Emma tries, she tries so hard to let her body feel the happiness again, but she can't capture it right and she only becomes more and more annoyed with herself.

"It's kind of hard when you're talking in my ear," she finally snaps, feeling the anger rising in her belly and she reopens her eyes to glare at Regina. Of course this isn't even Regina's fault, but she is somehow hoping the mayor will fight back. She needs someone to chastise her for once, can't take the endless tolerance her parents have for her anymore, when all she's ever done on Neverland is failing.

She isn't disappointed, Regina rising gladly to the challenge: "And when the wind blows or it is raining, or... someone is shooting arrows at you. Yes, concentration is hard. That is the point. Find your anger and use it to focus."

"No," Emma says and it feels so good to act on her anger for once, not double checking every word in the fear of hurting people around her. She hates herself for thinking like that, she is the saviour after all, and so her next words come out rather guilty: "There has to be a way without going dark."

She hopes her parents have heard that, hopes they know she is really trying to use her happy feeling instead of her anger. It's not her fault it doesn't work.

"You are such a pathetic waste of ability," Regina shoots back, a glint in her eyes, like she knows what Emma is trying to do, and she is only happy to goad her further.

And of course it's working all too well, Emma so used to their back and forth, to their bickering and teasing that she counters without thinking further about it: "And you're so much nicer in my dreams!"

Oops.

Regina's eyes go wide and a thousand emotions cross her face. Interest, fear, disbelief, incomprehension, tenderness, rage, sadness, confusion.

Emma curses herself as she waits for the inevitable outburst to happen. Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut for once and not destroy everything for a change. Her relationship with Regina is confusing enough without the additional awkwardness of lucid dreams and now the mayor will probably cut it off for good.

But suddenly Regina's expression goes blank, like she's put on a mask to hide her feelings and she smiles at Emma.

"Smell that?" she says and Emma, already bracing herself for the anger she's sure will be directed at her, is caught off guard. Smell? Smell what?

"What?" she replies dumbly.

"Smoke," Regina smirks and points to the campfire behind Emma.

The blonde whirls around and really, the embers have started to glow faintly orange. Emma stares at her doing for a second, then turns back around, still certain she will be receiving Regina's wrath any moment now. But the mayor has already stepped around Emma, a fireball ready in her hand which she casts on the pile of wood, then sitting down against a tree, clearly ending the lesson.

*

Regina leaves the group.

Neal is alive and held captive by Pan so they have to rescue him as well. Regina is so annoyed with the decision that she announces she'll leave the group and join with Mr. Gold. Rumplestiltskin. Whatever name he goes with nowadays.

Emma isn't sure how she feels about this sudden parting of ways, but she isn't in the position to stop Regina from leaving. Although the brunette hasn't freaked out at Emma's revelation, there is a new edge to her actions. She watches Emma from afar, a glint in her eyes that Emma just can't read, and she is too quick to decide she's leaving once the opportunity is given. Of course, she reasons that it is what's best for Henry but Emma is sure, she's also glad to be able to keep her distance from the saviour. And if Emma's honest, she herself is ready for a break to come to terms with things, too.

So she let's Regina go with little more than weak protest and as soon as the jungle has swallowed her figure, Emma turns away and focuses on the here and now.

*

Saving Neal proves to be harder than expected, not because they have to fight, but because they have to reveal their darkest secrets. Emma learns that Mary Margaret wants a second child that she can fuss over, that David can never leave the island, and that Hook has feelings for her. She also learns something about herself.

Neal's face when Emma tells him she wished he was dead breaks her heart, but the cage opens because it is the truth. He hugs her and Emma feels miserable, hating how he is just another person she has disappointed today, after Hook and her mother and Regina. She feels weak but she has to be strong, has to be the leader and although they are a group of five again, everything feels different.

She practically flees from the caves, wishing she could escape the secrets unveiled as easily. Of course it doesn't work and for a moment she is tempted to break down, to just give up. But then she thinks of Henry and how he is the one person she can't afford disappointing and she keeps going, on and on, leading like she's expected to do, apologizing to Neal because it's the right thing to do, giving her parents as much privacy as she can because it's what she's supposed to do.

At the end of the day she is completely exhausted, but volunteers for the first watch nonetheless, afraid of going to sleep where she knows she has to spend another night in Mary Margaret's loft, feeling intrusive and unwelcome once again.

Unfortunately she cannot stay awake forever and so when the two hours of her shift have passed, she is forced to lie down and rest. Fighting sleep is useless as well, she will need her energy for when they attack Pan's lair. Now that Neal has confirmed that he is indeed able to get them off the island, all they need is a masterplan that will allow them the chance of a victory over Pan and his Lost Boys and then they'll strike.

Emma smiles grimly. At least, she will have something to agonize over during her night in Storybrooke. And then she's more than ready to leave Neverland and the weird dreams it produces behind for good.

*

Conveniently enough, Emma already wakes up in Mary Margaret's loft, once again in her parents' bed. She huffs and gets up quickly, heading for the stairway immediately, when she notices something is different. Frowning, Emma lets her eyes wander over the familiar furniture, the kitchen island, the stools, table and chairs, the cupboards, the bed... And then, right beside it, standing so prominently in the room that Emma can't understand how she missed it the first time she's looked, is a cradle.

Emma gasps and stares at the wooden piece. It is beautiful, handcrafted and creme coloured, a lacey curtain hiding the inside from view.

She swallows, unable to avert her gaze. Mary Margaret's secret comes to her mind, how her mother wants another baby, a second chance to be a mother after things with Emma haven't exactly worked out like planned. She hears David's voice, how he would love that too and the feeling of rejection suddenly floods Emma. She remembers so many similar situations from when she was a child, foster families adopting her but then abandoning her when they had their own child, foster families returning her with the words "She isn't what we wanted", "We realized she isn't right for us", "We'd rather have another".

We'd rather have another, we'd rather have another, the words echo in Emma's ears as she stands, frozen, eyes fixed on the cradle who is to hold "another". She doesn't realize she's crying until a wet drop falls on her collarbone and that's when she feels Pan's prophecy come true. She is an orphan.

The cradle blurs in front of her eyes and for a short, grateful moment Emma thinks she'll wake up but then she blinks her tears away and the whole peaceful scene is clear again and she just can't stand the view any longer, she turns and runs.

Her feet carry her to Mifflin Street 108 automatically and it's only when she stands on Regina's porch, chest heaving from the run, that she realizes where she is. Emma hesitates to ring the bell then, she isn't supposed to seek comfort with dream-Regina, not when things are already so messed up, but she can't resist. She is in desperate need of another person now and there is nobody but Regina in that damn town.

So she rings. Training her eyes on the floor, all at once embarrassed about the snivelling mess she is, Emma waits. Suddenly she isn't so sure anymore that dream-Regina even wants to see her, maybe things will just be awkward after the kiss. Emma is almost ready to leave again, male a run for it, when the door opens and Regina's heeled boots appear in Emma's field of view.

"Emma," Regina says, sounding pleasantly surprised before her voice changes to a more serious tone, "You should not be here."

And of course she should have expected this rejection on top of all the others, but it still hits her hard. New tears are stinging in Emma's eyes but she forces them back and looks up, trying to pin Regina with a proud, defiant glare. She fails of course, spectacularly so, and she sees her own hurt expression in the mirror of Regina's deep brown eyes.

"Emma," Regina says again, suddenly all soft and the change makes the tears well up in Emma's eyes after all. She can't say a word and so they just stand there, eyes locked. Regina seems to be tempted to reach out for Emma but stops herself midway and straightens her blouse instead.

"Uh, do you want to come in?" she eventually asks, insecurity laced through her voice.

Emma sniffs and retorts, "That's what I came her for", her dark humour finally kicking in like it always does when she's hurt.

Regina smiles weakly and steps aside to let Emma enter. When Emma passes the mayor, she can't resist leaning in for a short hug, the warmth Regina offers too tempting, too needed. Regina's scent rolls over her and Emma closes her eyes and allows herself to get lost in the sensation for a split second. Regina's body stiffens momentarily but then she responds to the hug, one of her hands awkwardly stroking over Emma's back. The touch sends shivers through Emma's whole body, reminding her of all the reasons why hugging dream-Regina is wrong. Murmuring a quiet "Thank you" Emma lets go of the mayor and Regina only nods, before leading the way to the kitchen.

"I still have some pie and I could make you a cocoa. You like it like Henry does, with cinnamon on top, right?" Regina rambles on and Emma has never heard her ramble and it's kinda cute, seeing the usually organized mayor so unsure about the situation.

"I'd like both, thank you," Emma answers and slumps down on a chair. Watching Regina rummage around in the kitchen, she notices for the first time that the mayor's form is somewhat blurry today, a bit see-through around the edges, almost like that day she disappeared in the midst of Main Street, like Emma looks when she's waking up, except the sensation doesn't intensify and Regina doesn't vanish completely.

"Regina, why are you fading?" Emma asks, her voice still a bit hoarse from crying.

Regina turns around from the stove, her eyebrows arched. For a moment she looks so much like the real Regina, it's scary.

"You see me fading?" she says, "Interesting. But I should have figured."

"Figured what?" Emma questions, Regina's suddenly serious expression worrying her.

"Emma," Regina says for the third time tonight, and her voice is so apologetic, so gentle. And then she lets the bombshell drop.

"Emma. I think we are soulmates."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, so here it is, the second and final chapter. Sorry it took so long to update this, but there were some really hard parts to write and I figured it was better to take my time and do it properly. 
> 
> Special thanks to @Lifeshouldbefunny again for being my first reader and editor.
> 
> I hope y'all like it and don't hate me too much for the ending...

"You... we... what?" Emma stammers, completely caught off guard, her mind trying to process what Regina's words imply, she is unable to form any kind of sensible answer.

"I think we might be soulmates," Regina repeats, her voice calm as she pours hot milk in a glass but her hands are shaking, betraying her nervousness. 

"Soulmates?" is all Emma can say, her thoughts racing. Being Regina's soulmate, what would that imply? Is it like being in love? Does it mean they are meant to be together forever? Emma nearly laughs, the thought too ridiculous to be true. Regina's face sobers her up pretty quickly though.

"I imagine your idea of soulmates might be differing from the truth," the mayor states seriously, automatically slipping into formal speech, a nervous tick Emma has observed more than once already, "As you grew up apart from magic, you probably do not know how soulmates make themselves known in our world?"

The last part of Regina's words comes out as a sort of question as she places Emma's cocoa in front of the blonde and sits down on the edge of the chair opposite Emma. Emma blinks, the whole situation is so abstruse, the familiar environment, the calming scent of cinnamon in contrast to Regina's words, the fact that they are in a dream... 

Of course! Now Emma really laughs and Regina jumps up in alarm, like she thinks Emma might go crazy. Which, now Emma thinks about it, maybe she does. What the hell is wrong with her brain to make up such a complex, ridiculous dream that is at the same time so real, she almost believed it was true? Because of course, that's what this is all about. It's a dream, a simple dream, and she nearly fell for it. 

"Emma?" Regina asks eventually, still standing in front of her, arms extended, not clear if it is to protect Emma or herself from Emma.

"Oh, sorry Regina," Emma says brightly, and she really has to give her brain credit for how it has managed to cheer her up after the first part of her dream, "I was distracted there for a second. Tell me, how do soulmates work in the Enchanted Forest?" She might as well find out how far her imagination goes.

Regina furrows her brow in confusion but slowly settles back down on her chair nevertheless, still in an alert position. 

"Uhm. Well, okay," she murmurs, then raises her voice as she explains: "In our land, people who are physically close to their soulmate will start to share dreams with them." She stops there, watching Emma closely, waiting for a reaction. 

Emma smiles, delighted with her own creativity. Dream-Regina really makes the whole situation feel real, even builds in the fact that they are in a dream, something Emma didn't even knew she would be aware of. But then again, being constructed by her imagination, it's only logical that Regina would know everything Emma knows.

Clearly confused by Emma's lack of response, Regina frowns: "Emma! We share dreams."

"We sure do," Emma takes a sip of her delicious cocoa. Regina really knows her way in culinary matters. "So, what is it about the fading? How do you explain that?" She asks, enjoying the little game far too much.

Annoyance is starting to show on Regina's features, leaning back and crossing her arms, she answers flatly: "We are further away from each other."

"How are we further... oh, you mean on Neverland!" Emma exclaims and laughs, "Yeah, by the way, I'm a bit sad you left our little group, things went downhill since."

"Emma, this is not a joke," Regina finally snaps, her eyes boring into Emma's, "Look, I get that I am not what you wanted, but that does not justify for you to make fun of me!"

"Now you sound just like the real Regina!" Emma smirks and stands up, "Where did you say the pie was?" 

"I. Am. The real Regina," Regina brings out through gritted teeth, then takes a deep breath and stands as well. 

"This, us, is real. You are the real you and I am the real me. We share a dream. That makes us soulmates," she pronounces very slowly and clearly, her eyes focused on Emma's.

Emma is starting to feel a bit uncertain. Of course her head tells her how sharing dreams is not possible, how this is only made up, only exists in her head. But then again, that's exactly how she had felt about magic before she broke the curse, defeated a dragon and looked into a dog's memories for heaven's sake! If all that is real, can the dream thing be real as well?

Regina seems to sense Emma's doubts because she comes closer, talks more intently: "The first night we met here in Storybrooke, it was the first night we spent in Neverland. The first night we spent relatively close to each other. Sometimes, a bonding of some sort is necessary to start the connection. You made us bond, remember? We worked together for the first time. That is what set off the dreaming. The worry for Henry must have linked us together."

Emma remembers that evening, how she had watched Regina being unable to sleep, how she had been able to relate to the other mother so well, how she had fallen asleep with the feeling of understanding between them. Can this really be true?

"You have never had dreams as clear as these before," Regina continues, now touching Emma's arm she is so close, "You can remember every word when you wake up, you are very aware that this is a dream, you have never known that normally."

Emma's hand starts to tremble, everything Regina says is true. How can that be? How can a normal dream be so logical, so thought through?

"Do you remember how I faded on Main Street?" And Regina is still talking, faster now, more animated, " That was me waking up. You know this is right Emma, you woke up that way too, the night you came to my house, when I refused to go to Granny's."

"Stop," Emma whispers, the possibility that Regina is speaking the truth crushing her. Why would Regina tell her all this, how would she even know, unless she is right? The mayor's explanations make sense and that means...

"You are my soulmate," Emma gasps, staring at the woman in front of her, who has stopped talking the second Emma asked her to. She sees the confirmation in Regina's eyes as the brunette meets her gaze and she drops back onto her chair, her knees suddenly going weak.

"What does that mean?" Emma asks, quietly, avoiding Regina's glance by poking a finger into her cocoa that's barely luke warm by now.

"It does not have to mean anything," Regina murmurs, refilling Emma's cup with a wave of her hand. In another situation Emma would have teased her for using her magic instead of the stove but now is not the time.

"But... Shouldn't we be in love or something?" She asks instead, feeling her cheeks heat up at the question. God, this is so awkward. Emma takes a large sip of cocoa to cover up her blush and promptly burns her tongue. 

"I mean, isn't that what soulmates are all about?" she chokes out, struggling to swallow the hot liquid without burning her whole pharynx in the progress.

"Not every pair of soulmates is romantically involved," Regina states, magically providing Emma with a glass of cool water which she gulps down at once, "It only tells us that we fit together very well. Of course, most people use that fact as a base for a romantic relationship." The last part comes out in a rush and Emma risks a quick peek to see that Regina is actually blushing.

"Huh," is all Emma can say to that matter, because she is suddenly thinking back to the kiss. If they have really shared dreams since they've come to Neverland, then she has kissed Regina. The real Regina. Well, this takes everything to a whole new level of awkwardness. 

"I know this must be... hard for you to understand," Regina hurries to add, " In fact, this clashes with some of my own ideas as well..."

"Yeah, this makes it kinda hard for you to hate me," Emma jokes weakly, banishing the thoughts about the kiss to the back of her mind. That will never matter nor happen again.

"Oh, and just imagine what your parents will say," Regina shoots back after pulling a face. 

"Oh no!" Emma groans, "Now they will want that other child for sure. 'This time please without the Evil Queen attached'."

"Another child?" Regina questions and quirks an eyebrow, "When did that happen?" 

"Right, you weren't there today," Emma remembers, "Well, we rescued Neal from a place called the Echo Caves and it only worked because everyone revealed their darkest secret. Turns out my mother wants a smaller child to take care of, rather than grown up me." 

The end comes out rather bitter as memories of the wooden cradle come to Emma's mind and even Regina's growled "I will kill that woman" doesn't amuse her.

"So Neal has joined the group and the idiots want to set another offspring into that world?" Regina repeats and Emma nods before weakly protesting: "And they aren't idiots."

"Yes they are," Regina mutters and frowns, "Wait, is that why you cried earlier?" 

Emma hesitates for a moment, feeling that she maybe shouldn't tell her weaknesses to Regina of all people, but then again, either they are soulmates or this is a weird dream, no matter what she can probably trust Regina. 

"Yes, well, kind of," she says and smiles wrily, "I woke up in my parents' bed and there was that cradle, it was beautiful, all ready for the new baby. And, I guess, this somehow made me feel... rejected? Like, I have been replaced in foster families so many times, it just, you know, triggered me?" 

Emma looks up to find Regina watching her intently. She bites her lip nervously, "Uh, I guess it was just some reflex in me, it's stupid really..."

"I am sorry," Regina says simply, interrupting Emma's ramblings. 

"Oh it's not your fault, I just-" Emma starts but is disrupted again.

"Oh yes, it kind of is. I cast the curse that made your parents abandon you in the first place," Regina explains and her eyes are deep and brown and glowing, "I realize now that by destroying their happiness, I also took your chance of finding yours, and for that I am sorry."

Emma stares at her, feeling tears threatening to spill once more, but this time they are not tears of sadness, or anger, but of relief. For some reason, Regina's apology calms her beyond measure, and she realizes that this, a simple sorry, is all she needs tonight. Someone acknowledging that she feels unhappy and taking their part of responsibility for it. 

"It's okay," she whispers and it's actually the truth, "I'm okay."

Regina reaches forward and squeezes her hand cautiously. "And now look where fate brought us," she murmurs. 

Emma laughs quietly, "Karma I guess." 

And Regina's eyes drop to her lips and then she leans in, very slowly, giving Emma more than enough time to move away. But Emma doesn't, too strong is the attraction she feels towards the other woman and when their lips meet in a kiss, so soft, so precious, Emma finds herself hoping that this really is true.

They take their time with the kiss, none of them waking up this time. Regina's lips are full and soft and they spend all the comfort Emma needs. She lets herself fall into them, greedily absorbing every ounce of warmth she can get and she can feel Regina doing the same. 

This isn't a modest kiss anymore, it rather turns into a fight, Emma reaching for Regina's arms to pull her closer, Regina's hands tangling into Emma's hair, tugging just hard enough to elicit a moan from the blonde. If kissing Regina will always be like this then Emma is quite sure she can get used to being the former queen's soulmate. 

Unfortunately, Regina apparently can't, because she pulls away suddenly, leaving Emma with the feeling of loss at the absence of Regina's lips on hers. 

Emma gasps alongside with Regina, both struggling to regain their breath. Emma hates the effect the mayor has on her, hates the pull of attraction she's feeling, hates most of all that Regina had the decency to end the kiss before it went too far. 

Cursing herself for allowing this to happen in the first place, Emma runs her hands through her dishevelled hair while Regina straightens her blouse, neither of them looking at the other. 

Emma gives up on her rumpled mane and awkwardly takes a sip of cocoa while stealing glances at Regina. The brunette fidgets a bit with her fingers but otherwise seems pretty collected, no sign showing that she had just indulged in a make out session with the saviour. 

Emma clears her throat and immediately Regina's dark eyes are on her. 

"Uh," Emma makes, her voice hoarse, telling far too much about the feelings boiling in her and she hates her body for betraying her by getting so attracted to Regina, "I should probably go." 

"You probably should," Regina agrees, straightening her blouse once more as she stands up to walk Emma out. 

'That's it?' Emma wants to ask, 'You kiss me and then we part ways?' But the rational part in her knows it's for the best. This kiss cannot mean anything, not when they have just established that they are platonic soulmates. The kiss was to seal the contract, that's what it was. Besides, she has enough to worry about, with Henry and Peter Pan, Neal and Hook, and her parents who are hard to please as it is, without her bringing home their nemesis.

Emma tells herself all this as she follows Regina to the door and still she can't suppress the surge of sadness washing over her as she looks at her soulmate and clarifies: "Operation Henry and platonic soulmates it is?"

"As you wish," Regina replies and closes the door before Emma can say anything more.

* 

When Emma wakes up shortly after she said goodbye to Regina, the rest of the group is already up and about, sitting around the fire and sharing meat and some berries for breakfast. Emma frowns, her bad mood returning with the ever-shady jungle, or so she's trying to tell herself. Trotting over to the others, she firmly banishes every thought of Regina from her mind and focuses in on Henry and what is necessary to retrieve him instead.

"Good morning Emma," Mary Margaret chirps and Emma manages a weak smile in return, still feeling the emotions of the last night in her, as hard as she tries to maintain a cool impassivity. She drops on the trunk next to David, the place being furthest away from her mother as they apparently haven't reconciled yet. Grabbing a chunk of hard bread and a handful of berries, Emma retreats into her mind, desperate to cook up some plan and finally leave the island. 

Neal turns out to be more valuable than expected, knowing both how to get off the island and how to capture the shadow that is needed for the operation. Unfortunately, the whole matter requires a trip to Dark Hallow, another cave with just as unpleasant events awaiting Emma as the Echo Caves. Of course Mary Margaret had to be right about her assumptions that both Hook and Neal care about Emma more than she would like, and of course this gets them into trouble. 

'Idiots,' Emma thinks as she sits crouched on the floor, hand cramping over that stupid damn candle that just won't burn. The agonized cries from the two men are ringing in her ears and she focuses on her anger, on her hate for the island, to get the magic to flow. Now is not the time for silly 'light magic only' and fortunately her parents aren't here to judge her as Emma dips into her darker sides, feeds the fury inside her until it's a howling blaze - and lights the candle.

Pan's shadow is quickly drawn into the light, screeching in the process until Emma puts the lock on the coconut and the cave falls quiet except for the gruntling from Hook and Neal who have been released by the shadows holding them up and Emma's own rapid heartbeat.

"How did you do that," Neal pants and he looks at Emma the way her parents looked at her, with that mixture of fascination, fear and wariness. The way people who don't understand look at her. The way Regina would never look at her.

"Regina," Emma murmurs as she stares at the coconut in her hands, the word more an answer to her own thoughts than Neal's question. Last night Emma found the idea ridiculous, her and Regina being soulmates, yeah right, good joke. But now she thinks about it, it somehow makes sense. They are similar in a way. They understand each other...

"She's teaching you magic," Neal speaks again, interrupting Emma's thoughts. 

"Yeah," Emma says, wide eyed as the truth settles in, "That she is." But she's also so much more. She's Emma's soulmate.

*

They reunite with Tinker Bell, Regina and Gold and now they are eight. Eight against Pan and his Lost Boys, eight with a plan and a weapon and an escape route. Emma almost feels good but of course, the real deal still lies ahead. Both fear and anticipation are gradually growing, fear because they only have this one shot and they can't mess up, they just can't. Anticipation because she's so ready for this to be over, so ready to leave the island behind, so ready to finally see her son again. 

She can read the same emotions in Regina's eyes, one exchanged look sufficient to communicate, one casual touch to the brunette's shoulder, outwardly to welcome her back, but actually to reassure them both that they are in this together.

And then they are moving, Tinker Bell leading them to Pan's lair. Emma lets herself fall behind a bit, until Regina catches up with her, the mayor at the end of the group as always. 

"Miss Swan," Regina acknowledges her and for a moment Emma is startled, the address so distanced, so different from the casual "Emma" she uses in their dreams. Almost immediately Emma's doubts are back and she almost feels silly for asking but still forces out the question.

"Regina. Do we... excuse me if this sounds weird but, do we share dreams?" 

Regina pins her with an unreadable gaze and Emma is about to backpedal but then Regina nods, almost imperceptibly.

"Yes Emma," she whispers, "We are soulmates."

And Emma feels a small smile form on her face, despite her tension and nervousness, and Regina mirrors it. A warmth spreads in Emma and for a moment she is tempted to lean in for a hug, but that would be overstepping the boundaries, breaking their contract, so she suppresses the urge. 

"So, uh, let's save Henry?" She says instead, biting her lip to have something else than Regina's deep eyes to focus on. 

"Let us save Henry," Regina nods and her smile grows wider, "Let us defeat Pan."

*

Skull Rock is the horror. They almost come too late, Henry holding his heart already out in the open, ready to plunge it into Pan's chest. And then he does, despite his family's begging, despite both Emma and Regina trying to persuade him that it's Pan he's gonna save, not magic. He won't hear, he wants to play the hero and so Emma has to watch her son collapse in a heap on the floor while Pan is suspended into the air. Magic, Emma feels it pulsing through the air like a heartbeat, there's an electric crackling as Pan stretches, relishing in his new strength. But Emma has no eyes for the other boy as she rushes towards Henry who's lying unconsciously. Regina is right beside her, worry rolling off her in waves, anxiety, panic... 

They can't do anything for their son except putting him in a stable condition that reminds Emma painfully of the time when he was under a sleeping spell. Regina's hands are shaking just the slightest bit when she carries out the spell but it's enough to tip Emma off about the turmoil the woman must be in, and she swallows down her own fears and puts up a tough front, to reassure Regina that everything is gonna be fine. 

She winkles the information about Pan's whereabouts out of the Lost Boys, tracks down these damn pixie woods - and is stupidly mousetrapped by the boy she's grown to hate over the past few days. Mary Margaret to her left and Regina to her right, Emma is bound to the tree, the bonds tightening with every bit of remorse she feels. And of course there's plenty she regrets, starting with allowing Greg Mandell and Tamara to kidnap Henry, ending with coming to Storybrooke and breaking the curse in the first place. Because let's face it, accepting magic into her world has only endangered her and Henry's life so far. 

So the lichens just wrap tighter against her body, immobilizing her, pressing the air out of her lungs until she's starting to feel light headed. She still bites and snaps at Pan but weakens far too quickly. Mary Margaret too is gasping beside her and for a moment there is a certain satisfaction that her mother at least feels sorry for what she's done, but then Emma is disgusted with herself for thinking that way and the tendrils tighten extra much.

And all the while Pan is laughing right into their faces, Emma's son's heart beating in his chest, filling him with life and more power than ever before. Emma thinks of Henry, in his trance-like position, how he is going to die because they hadn't been able to defeat a boy. By then she is pressed so hard against the trunk of the tree that she's close to fainting, and she turns towards Regina to tell her the one thing she doesn't regret - being the brunette's soulmate.

But as her eyes struggle to focus on glossy dark hair, she's surprised to notice that Regina, unlike her and her mother, doesn't seem to feel the pressure of the vines at all. She stands there proudly, her chin lifted upwards as she meets Pan's gaze. 

"I have done some terrible things," Regina states in that matter-of-fact voice she usually reserves for political tasks only and Emma admires the steadiness of it, the strength Regina is still showing, despite them being faced with death. With Henry's death.

"I should be overflowing with regret," she continues and yeah, she should, that's why Emma is so confused that Regina doesn't have trouble breathing. She should be the first to suffocate.

"But, I am not. Because it got me my son," Regina finishes and with that she frees herself from the tendrils sneaking around her waist as if they were just that, tendrils with no magical conscience. Their grip loosens immediately and Emma draws a deep breath, relishing the air filling her lungs while Regina already steps forward and rips out Henry's heart from Pan's chest. The boy collapses and Emma doesn't even feel bad about the satisfaction flooding through her at the sight, the relief and gratification.

"Now, let us go save Henry!" Regina growls, heart in one hand, Pandora's box in the other, an expression so determined on her face that Emma would probably just stare and admire it if their son weren't in a coma.

"I-I wanted to be a hero," Henry struggles to explain as they revive him on board the Jolly Roger but the excuses are promptly hugged out of him as both his mothers move in at the same time to embrace him. Holding Henry's familiar body, Regina's arm half-hugging her too as the mayor's head rests on their son's other shoulder, it feels like a family and for a moment Emma thinks her heart has to be overflowing with happiness. And she thinks that maybe, maybe platonic soulmates can include family dinners and film nights and walks in the park together and she finds she can live with that.

The warm feeling stays even after the hug has ended, after Regina has gone and tucked Henry in. Pan's reappearance ensures a short drop in that high of course, and Emma isn't sure she can ever shake off the feel of being watched completely, but they handle him quite nicely, trapping him in Pandora's box where he can't do any more harm. 

And so, despite the stressful day and the dozens of teenage boys all over the ship, despite the still unresolved situation with Hook and Neal, despite the issues she still has with her parents, despite it all, when she lies down in the cabin next to Henry's to sleep, she actually feels safe.

*

Emma has half-expected the dreams to stop now that their mission on Neverland is accomplished, but then again that doesn't change the fact that Regina is her soulmate and still being so close together on the ship has its effects as well so that Emma isn't that surprised when she wakes up sitting on the stony wall of the Storybrooke Wishing Well. It still sends a small shock wave through her body when she notices just how deep the pit gaping under her dangling right foot is and she wonders briefly what would have happened if she had woken up in it instead. She doesn't have much time to think about it though because suddenly there's a swooshing sound and Regina pops up out of nowhere right on the other side of the well. 

Emma lets out a startled yelp, although she's seen Regina and also Cora poof several times now, she's still not quite used to it. Funnily, Regina seems a bit disoriented as well, she looks around with a frown, throws a glance down the well, shudders distinctly - and goes rigid when she notices Emma, who is watching her with an amused expression.

"Emma," she acknowledges the blonde a second later, covering up her momentary confusion immediately, "This place certainly brings back memories."

Emma grins, Regina is too adorable when not in absolute control of the situation. The mayor apparently didn't poof here but woke up, or rather fell asleep on the Jolly Roger. This is the first time Emma has seen the progress this way around and she's surprised how fast it happened, not at all like the gentle fading at the end of the dreams.

"It sure does," she answers Regina's question, remembering the day she came back from her involuntary trip to the Enchanted Forest. Regina and Mr. Gold had locked the way back through the well with a curse, expecting Cora to beat Mary Maragret and Emma to it and wanting to protect Storybrooke. However, Henry had persuaded them that Cora would lose and Regina had absorbed the death curse just in time to let Emma and Mary Margaret pass unharmed. It had been the first time Emma had seen Regina as more than a complete sociopath. (Well, except for that very first evening when she had come to Storybrooke and had learned that Henry's adoptive mother was that incredibly hot lady with a voice that made Emma's body react in wholly unexpected ways.)

"Do you think the place where we wake up is coincidental?" Emma asks after a while of silence, the two of them just sitting there, watching the forest that is so much lighter, friendlier, than Neverland's jungle.

"I think so," Regina replies almost instantly and it makes Emma wonder if she has thought about this before, "Or at least I have not found any regularity in it." She shoots Emma a pondering look, "I suppose you woke up here as well?"

"Yup," Emma confirms, "Nearly fell into the well when I realized how close it was."

Regina chuckles quietly and the sound makes Emma's stomach flutter. Damn it, she really has to get a grip.

"I wonder why we woke up in the same place," Regina says after a short pause, "I wonder if it means something."

"What would it mean though?" Emma asks, fighting to keep the hope down that it might be their subconscious telling them that they are supposed to be more than platonic soulmates. It's a ridiculous thought and she will never share it with Regina but as much as she's trying to suppress it, it keeps reappearing.

"... I have no idea," Regina replies, the slight hesitation making Emma look up. Regina's eyes are fixed on her hands but they flicker up and lock with Emma's. It's somehow getting warmer as the tension builds and Emma feels her heartbeat speed up as she stares into deep brown orbs, getting lost in the mysteries hidden behind. It's fortunate that they still are on opposite sides of the well; distinctly aware of the abyss looming between them, Emma can keep herself from leaning in to capture Regina's lips with her own. She shouldn't be tempted at all, of course, but there is something about the way Regina manages to look right in Emma's soul that makes the blonde not care about the consequences a kiss would have. 

Eventually, Emma breaks the gaze though, afraid of how much Regina would read in her eyes. She's breathing heavily and struggles to control it before Regina notices, but from the corner of her eye she can see the mayor is busy with herself, inspecting her nails in a manner so unfazed that it makes Emma's heart ache. She refuses to dwell more on it though as she leans back against the wooden frame reaching over the well, determined to appear as nonchalant as possible. Meeting Regina every night in deserted Storybrooke suddenly doesn't sound as much fun anymore, not if she has to spend them pining for the one person she can't have.

"Do you think these dreams will continue forever?" Emma turns towards Regina, attempting to sound indifferent but her tone turns out to be much colder than expected. Surprise shows in Regina's eyes, before they harden and she scowls.

"I do not like it any more than you do, Miss Swan," she says coldly and Emma nearly flinches at the use of her last name, somehow this isn't what Regina's supposed to call her, not in their dreams anyway, "But as long as we both live in Storybrooke, I am afraid the situation will not change. We will still be soulmates and we will still be close to each other." 

"But what about before Neverland? We didn't share dreams, but we've surely been soulmates even then?" And Emma knows how this sounds, like she doesn't want Regina, like she's rejecting her and she can see from the hurt flashing up in her brown eyes that Regina feels exactly that way, but she can't take back her words, not if taking back means also explaining why she is so afraid of forever sharing dreams with Regina.

"You never listen, do you?" Regina snaps, her pain transforming into fury in a way Emma recognizes from her own experience. If someone is about to hurt you, you just hurt right back. It's working very well on her, she's practically shrinking when Regina continues: "I explained it all to you before. Sometimes a bonding experience is necessary to start the connection. That bonding was you making us all swear to work together to save Henry. However, you cannot just un-bond us. Which means, I am stuck with you."

Ouch. 

"You know what?" Emma now starts to lash out herself as Regina's last words sink in and she realizes that once again, she has disappointed someone and this time it's her own freaking soulmate, "If distance is the only way to end this, then maybe I'll just take Henry and move back to Boston. Storybrooke is not safe anyways, with all the dark magic around."

It's a shot below the belt and she knows it, though some sick twisted part of her enjoys the way Regina's eyes widen as she threatens to take away the one person she loves. 

Regina jumps up, storming around the well until she's standing right before Emma and she's glaring at her, her voice as venomous as ever as she hisses: "You would not dare!"

Behind all the flaring rage though, there is a tremble in her voice, quiet, almost unnoticeable if you aren't looking for it, but it cuts right through Emma's heart. Regina is afraid. Afraid that Emma might really leave and take Henry with her, afraid that Henry would let her, still not having forgiven Regina for everything she's done. And Regina's pain becomes Emma's pain as she's standing so close that Emma feels her heated breath on her cheeks. It becomes Emma's pain because they have shared the fear of losing Henry those past few days. Because she knows how much it hurts. Because Henry is everything.

And Emma withers under Regina's stare, knowing that she could never do it, take Henry away from his other mother, even if she wanted. A part of him will always be Regina's, just like a part of Emma will always be Regina's, fate having linked them together forever.

Regina lets go of her the second Emma chokes out an apology and the promise not to leave, then turns on her heels and storms off into the forest, her face a stony mask. Emma looks after her until the trees swallow her figure, wanting to follow but understanding Regina well enough to know that she needs to be alone. Soulmates or not, the mayor isn't one to share her weak moments and Emma feels like she's already intruded enough tonight. 

So she just stays at the well and stares at the gentle golden-green of the forest until the colours fade into an all-consuming black and she wakes up.

*

Things change the next day. If it is because of their argument or because Operation Henry has successfully ended the moment they embraced their son, Emma isn't sure, but there's a new coldness to her interactions with Regina. It's obviously not as bad as in the beginning when Emma had just come to Storybrooke and they had loathed each other, because despite the whole soulmate drama, they can't just ignore the friendly feelings that have grown between them during their time on Neverland. So compared to the start of their journey, they do have become closer. Everyone else must see how their relationship has developed. But everyone else doesn't know about the couple of nights of genuine friendship, of baking cake, of comforting each other, of kissing...

So because talking to Regina is difficult, Emma keeps her distance. When the brunette rouses Henry and takes him for breakfast at the ship's aft, Emma joins her parents at the fore. When Regina and Gold come over to talk to David about the Dreamshade problem, she excuses herself and seeks out Hook under the pretence of wanting to learn how to navigate. 

The pirate of course takes this the whole wrong way and leers so openly that Neal approaches, straining to smile nonchalantly when he tells Emma that he knows how to handle a ship as well. Which causes Hook to frown and remark that Neal has learned everything from him, which apparently makes him the better teacher. 

Emma resists the urge to roll her eyes at the two men and leaves them both, declaring she's tired and will take a nap. As she turns to go below, she catches her mother's worried eyes. For a moment she takes comfort in the caring look but then Mary Margaret's hand moves to take David's and Emma is reminded of the other baby and she descends the stairs with a renewed fury.

They disembark in Storybrooke to the cheers of the townspeople. Henry seems to bask in the spotlight of attention and Emma and Regina share a brief glance, the contact encouraging Emma to give a small smirk at their son's obvious fascination with being a hero, and for a moment it looks like Regina is about to smile back but then she just turns away. Emma's face falls but she plasters on a smile for the crowd before hurrying down the walkway to take her place next to Henry.

When Regina leaves the ship, nobody's cheering anymore, instead the crowd has gathered around Mary Margaret and David and their perfect little family, and Emma feels a bit like she's suffocating in the sheer mass of people hugging her. She wriggles free after a while and turns to Henry who has just let the whole ordeal happen to him with a smile.

"How does it feel to finally be home?" She asks, grabbing his shoulders in the sudden overwhelming moment when she realizes that they have actually made it. Saved Henry. Left Neverland behind. Defeated Peter Pan. 

Henry grins and there's a glint in his eyes that Emma can't quite place but puts off as some sort of sentiment as well: "Better than I ever imagined."

*

Emma avoids interacting with Regina any more than necessary that day. The rejection Regina displayed earlier on the ship still hurts in the back of her mind and reversed coldness is Emma's best way to numb the pain.

So that's why it's Mary Margaret and not her who pronounces the formal acknowledgement of Regina's enormous help on Neverland, although Emma did notice Regina standing a bit off on her own while the townspeople welcomed everyone but her. That's why, when they lock away Pandora's Box for good, she keeps to Neal and Henry. That's why, on the hastily thrown together party at Granny's, she makes a point out of talking to everyone except Regina.

Infuriatingly, Regina doesn't appear bothered at all with Emma ignoring her, quite the opposite, she and the fairy hit it off fairly quickly the moment their duties with sealing in Pandora's box are done. Not that Emma cares. She has Henry and Henry is everything.

Except that even Henry suddenly prefers Regina's company over her's. She almost forbids the sleepover at Regina's, but catches herself right in time. She isn't that sort of mother, who keeps her child from seeing his other parent, plus she knows how much this gesture means to Regina. It's weirdly reassuring to see Regina's eyes flashing up to meet her gaze though, as if confirming that this arrangement is okay. It shows Emma that Regina isn't that sort of mother either, not anymore. 

And still, as she watches her son leave with her soulmate, the two of them looking thick as thieves, she can't help but think about how wrong this all feels. And it needs her mother's hand on her shoulder, the cautious offer of an explanation, to keep her from running after Regina and Henry. For appearance's sake, she pulls herself together and laughs it all off, though deep down in her mind, the rejections she's received during the last days are starting to pile.

*

It feels weird to be back in the loft. Emma's eyes keep flickering to the place where the cradle stood in her dream and she's so distracted that she pours hot cocoa over her hand. The pain helps her focus at least, she hisses and holds her fingers under cold water as she pretends not to notice the worried glance her parents exchange. 

"So, I'm awfully tired, sleeping on a ship is definitely not my thing. I'll go upstairs then," Emma announces a bit over-cheerily while wiping her hands dry, ignoring the painful throb that comes with cooling her burns too shortly. She's desperate to flee into her own room, to escape her parents' company for the first time in what feels like ages, and with one last glance towards the empty space next to the kingsized bed, she hurries upstairs.

It doesn't take her long to fall asleep. She hasn't exactly lied about having problems sleeping last night, although the fight with Regina might have contributed more to that than being on the Jolly Roger. Anyway, Emma has only just closed her eyes when a soft breeze tells her she's arrived to dream-Storybrooke. 

Funnily, she finds herself sitting on the rim of the Wishing Well again, except that this time, Regina is already there, leaning casually against a nearby tree. She's watching Emma closely, the expression on her face unreadable.

"Uh, hi?" Emma tries when the brunette hasn't made a move to speak after several seconds. She isn't exactly sure if talking to Regina in dreams counts as breaking the silent treatment she was attempting to give the mayor, but then again, Regina is there and looking at her so maybe their arrangement to avoid each other has come to an end.

"Good evening Miss Swan," Regina says stiffly and okay, maybe they are not back to friendly terms yet, but talking at all is a first, right? 

"So, how's Henry?" Emma asks, figuring it's a safe question to pose. It even gets a slight smile out of Regina, though her eyes remain vigilant. Protective as ever, especially after Emma's threat from last night.

"He is fine," Regina replies, although there's an edge in her voice that suggests there's more to it.

"Is he?" Emma prods, the image of Henry oddly eyeing his beloved storybook in her mind. She has the feeling that maybe the time with Pan has changed the boy more than they had thought.

"Well," even Regina has to admit, "He is still a bit uneasy about Pan, he fears he might come back for him."

Of course, this has to be it. If even Emma still has the paranoid feeling of Pan watching them, then Henry must feel it too. Or at least, that is the only logical explanation for his strange behaviour Emma can come up with. 

Pushing her uneasiness aside, Emma forces a tight smile. "Well, he will eventually understand that this won't happen," she says and Regina nods. A pause.

"Emma," Regina begins, her tone all business-like again, but at least she didn't call her Miss Swan. "There are a few things we need to discuss. How we are going to arrange this... soulmate situation."

Emma's stomach plummets at the serious words but she finds herself whispering "Yep" nonetheless. As much as she hates the fact that Regina is so rational about their connection, she also has to admit, that it was herself who started the fight yesterday, about exactly that matter.

Regina fixes her with a levelling stare, her brown orbs cool, not betraying what she might be feeling underneath. Emma gulps and meets her eyes, determined to appear as professional about the matter as Regina.

"I suggest each of us keeps to certain areas of Storybrooke, thusly avoiding accidental encounters," Regina begins and Emma tries her best not to flinch at the choice of words. It's what she wants after all, not having to see Regina every night. 

She nods, "Fine with me."

"I further propose having a way to contact each other in case any of us has an urgent matter to discuss. Since both of us seem to wake up here at the well lately, whoever comes first should be obliged to leave a note with her chosen location for the night."

"Or, if she's the one who wants to talk, she can just wait, right?" Emma adds in the silence following Regina's words. It baffles her how the mayor has worked out a detailed system already, but she's careful not to let her own unpreparedness show.

Regina tilts her head in agreement, "Though 'wanting to talk' is not a sufficient reason to disturb the other's peaceful dream."

"Of course not," Emma hurries to say and she has to remind herself once again that this arrangement is what she has asked for, a clean cut and undisturbed dreams. She hadn't thought Regina would actually go through with it though.

"So that's it then?" She asks, fighting to keep her voice light, as though they were just discussing the weather and not every night for the rest of their lives.

"That is it," Regina confirms and for a second there's a flicker in her otherwise indifferent eyes, a flicker of disappointment, of regret, or so it seems. Before Emma can tell exactly, it's already gone again and with a parting "I see you tomorrow, I guess", Regina turns on her heels and stalks away.

*

They don't have time to test their new set of rules because the next night, neither of them sleeps. 

Pan isn't even close to being defeated after all, in fact, he is fresh as a daisy in Henry's body. Emma's furious when she finds out, hates how the boy has stolen first her son's heart and then everything else, hates how leaving Neverland behind wasn't enough to finally get rid of Pan, hates most of all that she didn't notice how the child she was hugging wasn't her son but that... monster.

She curses herself for not acting on her suspicions earlier. She had thought there was something off about Henry (though she couldn't have imagined it being Pan himself, she was rather tipping some sort of brainwashing), and still she had allowed to lose sight of him by letting him go with...

"Regina!" Emma bursts out, releasing Henry in Pan's body from the tight hug she had him in and yanking out her phone. Henry is looking at her in confusion, and it's so weird to see the expression in Pan's usually sly eyes, but Emma doesn't have time to explain as she dials Regina's number and prays for her to answer. Because Regina and Peter Pan alone in her vault, that can't end well.

Of course, Emma has no such luck as reaching Regina but she still tries over and over again as they speed down main street in the police cruiser. She doesn't even want to start imagining what Pan can have done to the mayor, because even though Regina is one of the most powerful sorceresses of all time, Pan did have the element of surprise on his side.

Emma's relief when they find Regina unharmed turns into horror as the extent of their slip becomes clear. There's going to be another curse and before Emma can even begin to comprehend what that entails, plans are made to stop Pan. 

The sun is already rising again, tinting Storybrooke in a deceptively peaceful light, when Emma and the rest emerge from the vault. They don't have time to admire the natural spectacle though, not when Pan has probably enacted the curse already. According to Regina, the magical clouds will take a few hours until they wholly swallow up Storybrooke, but they race to Gold's shop nonetheless, everyone determined to end this once and for all.

There's something about the urgency of the progress, or maybe it's just everyone working together again, just like on Neverland, but for the first time since, well, since Henry's kidnapping, Emma feels confident about what they do. She actually is positive that since they are on their home turf now, and standing united against one common enemy, they can save the town again. 

And they do, their joint powers strong enough to defeat Pan once more. Everything is gonna be alright. Or at least, that's what they think. Until Regina touches the scroll with the curse and faints. 

"Regina!" Emma shakes her, understanding in the very moment when Regina's eyes open with an all-consuming pain in them that nothing's gonna be alright at all.

"Emma," Regina all but whispers and although she assures immediately that she's fine, Emma knows she is not. It's just the miniscule tension in Regina's jaw that indicates how she's gritting her teeth, the tiniest twitch of her left eyelid, the way she swallows a tad harder than usual, that give her away to Emma.

She doesn't have time to question the lie though, not when Peter Pan appears all of a sudden (that boy really seems to be invincible) and they have more urgent matters on hand. 

And as Pan freezes them all and they stand unmoving, watching Mr. Gold sacrifice himself for the cause, Emma finally feels the horror creep up in her. If Gold, who is inarguably the most powerful of them all, sees no other chance than death to end this, then what destiny will await the rest of them?

The answer becomes clear when they can move again, both Gold and Pan gone in a swirl of golden light. As Belle breaks down next to her, already having lost everything, Regina reveals to them all what destroying the curse means.

"We'll go back to the Enchanted Forest," Emma states, because that's the only possibility right? Storybrooke, a byproduct of the curse, will be gone, so the other realm is where they come from and must return to.

Except that Henry doesn't belong in the fairy tale land. And neither does Emma. And when Regina's voice breaks as she declares that there is no other way to save them all but returning to their respective worlds without a chance of ever seeing each other again, Emma's whole existence crumbles away.

People say you never appreciate what you have until it's taken from you. Emma can confirm that. As she turns around to her parents, to Neal, even to Hook, realizing that this is goodbye, forever, she swears she can hear her heart break.

"Happy endings aren't always what we think they will be," Mary Margaret says with her boundless optimism but even her eyes are shining with tears. 

Emma fights the truth that's crushing her, she really does. This isn't the end, it just can't be, not when she's just found her family, her home... her soulmate. 

With fresh tears springing from her eyes, Emma turns to Regina. The mayor's face is scrunched up with pain and still she manages a smile for Emma. Their difficulties forgotten they share a long glance, Emma's eyes begging Regina to not let this happen, but all she finds in the other woman is despair.

"You have to go," Regina whispers and Emma doesn't trust her voice enough to answer more than a weak "Okay." For Henry, she has to be strong. Because Henry is everything.

She doesn't feel strong when she stands at the town line moments later, the curse's clouds piling up in the background as she makes her last round of goodbyes. Her stomach is in a hard knot and her throat feels tight, making it hard to breathe when she turns towards her parents.

"Guys," she chokes and when her dad pulls her in a tight hug, the tears finally spill. Inhaling the familiar scent of David's jacket, Emma allows her emotions to take over for a short moment when his hand comes up to stroke her hair. 

"Shh, it will be okay," he whispers in a soothing manner and his loving tone only makes Emma cry more. She suddenly feels like she has been wasting the time she has had with her parents, overthinking their motives, when actually their love has been right there for her to take it. 

"I wish you two good luck with the baby," Emma whispers as she pulls away, meeting her mother's eyes. And she means it. Finally acknowledging that her parents too must have had trouble adjusting to an already grown up daughter, she genuinely hopes for them to get a second chance to really bring up a child. 

"Thank you Emma," Mary Margaret smiles, the glance in her eyes so soft that a sob escapes Emma's lips. Leaning up to embrace her daughter, she adds: "And remember, we are so proud of you." 

When Emma moves on to Neal, she already feels drained of tears and she is tired, so tired. She's never hated Peter Pan more than in that moment, when he forces her to leave behind everyone she loves.

After Neal comes Hook, and although Emma has never been especially close to him despite what he might feel, saying goodbye forever still hurts. 

And then there's Regina.

"There is something I have not told you," the brunette murmurs before Emma can say anything. They stand a bit away from the crowd and Regina fixes Emma's eyes with her own, not giving the blonde the chance to look away even if she wanted to. 

"What now?" Emma sighs because there can't be a single thing that can worsen this day further.

A single tear rolls down Regina's cheek when she explains how Emma won't remember Storybrooke, won't remember her family, her life, her soulmate. And Emma wants to cry too, wants to scream and rage, because this is not fair. How does destiny dare to give her all this, all she's ever wanted, only to take it away again. This is not what a happy ending is supposed to look like, but then again, Regina's right, this isn't a happy ending. 

"What happens to our dreams?" She whispers, although she already knows the answer.

"It seems like you got what you wanted in that regard," Regina smiles faintly, before confirming Emma's suspicions: "They will stop."

Of course they do. Everything that's ever been connected to the fairy tale characters will be undone, so that even if they weren't in two different realms and thus physically as far apart as possible, their bonding experience would have never happened.

Regina's eyes are raw with emotions as she takes Emma in one last time and although Emma's heart is physically aching from leaving everything behind, she can only imagine the pain Regina must be in. Emma will have forgotten about the people close to her, but Regina will have to live with the memories. And she will have to live without Henry.

And so when the beginnings of the curse already touch the feet of the townspeople in the last line, Emma decides that Regina at least deserves to know the truth. Even if it won't matter in a few seconds anyways, she has to tell her how she really feels about being the Queen's soulmate, about sharing dreams.

"Regina," Emma starts but Regina interrupts her by gently pushing her towards the bug.

"Now go," she urges, as she beckons over Henry to give him one last tight hug.

Emma obediently takes her seat in the car but doesn't feel that she can go without telling Regina the truth. So when the mayor is already raising her hands to cast the spell which will change the curse, she just blurts it out: "I didn't mind being your soulmate at all. In fact, I liked our dreams."

And Henry in the seat beside Emma gasps but Emma can't lift her gaze off Regina who has stopped her movements and turns to her with wide eyes who are now openly filled with tears. She doesn't answer though and the time to escape is really getting tight by now, so Emma flashes her a last sad smile and starts the motor.

It's just when the bonnet of her bug crosses the town line when Emma hears Regina call one last sentence after her:

"It is a privilege to be your soulmate too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't kill me!
> 
> I know this isn't a happy ending and believe me, I hate myself for letting the story end the way it did, but there is a canon I have to follow, plus you have to see the bright sides. Like, they acknowledged their feelings about the soulmate thing. And canon tells us they'll see each other again.
> 
> So, don't be sad, but think of the countless sweet moments they've had and will have!


End file.
